Thursday, March 22, 2018

Day 22 of Revelation Study: Chapters 15 - 16


The Last Set of Plagues


These two chapters contain the last set of plagues (15:1). How do we know the judgments [i.e. seals, trumpets, and bowls] are sequential in order?[1] We know because 15:1 says they “…are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.” The implication of them being the last is that there was something that was placed first. In other words, these angels would not be considered the last if the bowl judgments simply paralleled the seals and trumpets. Some might try to argue that this is merely the last parallel given in the account, but even that interpretation falls short because it is not John’s visions that are finished, but God’s wrath.

This is also the only set of plagues, out of the three that are described in this book, where all seven are poured out on mankind without any interruption in the text. The seals are broken, and the trumpets are played all the way up to number six, but before they reach number seven there is a break in the text — a parenthetical thought of something else that is going on either in Heaven or on Earth. However, as soon as the first bowl is poured out, it is like they continue at lightning speed. This may suggest that, due to their severity, these judgments take place pretty close to the end of the Tribulation period. Jesus did say in Matthew 24:22, speaking of the Great Tribulation at the end of this age, that “…if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved.”

Continue on to read about chapter 17.

*Click here to read the purpose of this blog series.



[1] See the "Chart of Judgments” for an explanation of another interpretation.

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